


Ceyla Ward And The Last Love Story

by sarahstories365



Category: The Ceyla Chronicles
Genre: Gen, Philippine Fantasy Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 11:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30037809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahstories365/pseuds/sarahstories365
Summary: When Ceyla Ward isn't saving the world from destruction, she's solving mysteries, stopping crime, and keeping the streets of Helios safe.The Ceyla Chronicles meets Nancy Drew fanfiction.
Relationships: Ceyla Ward and Avery Holt





	Ceyla Ward And The Last Love Story

Books rarely collected dust in Ceyla Ward’s personal library.

Avery Holt ran his slender hand along the leatherbound spines of Ceyla’s collection of mystery novels. The sunlight streaming through the window next to the shelf made his dark hair and pale white skin almost glimmer, and she was distracted by the look on his face as he read titles on the spines. His dark eyes were so… mesmerizing.

But she slapped his hand before he could pull out a book and discover her other collection behind the mysteries.

“Hey! What was that for?” Avery said, massaging his hand. Ceyla may be be petite, but the girl could be exceptionally strong when she needed to be.

“Are your hands clean?” she said, carefully pushing back the book to align with the others. Though her bookshelf had a wide base, the spines of the mystery books were perched on the edge of the shelf because of the books she hid behind them. One wrong move and the books in front would fall over.

“Only one way to find out,” he started and pulled out a different book—the farthest one away from the secret stash. “No use hiding them. I know about your secret collection of romance novels.” He took a seat on the chair in front of her desk.

“You’ve been poking around my stuff, Fae runaway?” she said, scowling at him from the book shelf. 

“You were gone three years. What did you think I did around here?”

She rolled her eyes and took a book from her secret stash—the last book she read before she disappeared three years ago. The secret was out anyway. “Don’t tell Eran.” She sat at her desk and ran a hand through her silver hair to draw it away from her eyes. Her leather jacket hung on the chair’s back.

“Too late,” he said, leaning back comfortably into the chair and cracking open the book entitled, “Death At The Library.”

She scowled at him again, unholstering her guns, unsheathing her dagger, and placing them on the table between him and her.

Today wasn’t such a busy day in Helios Town Proper. Not a new client has come to Ceyla’s office, and she’s happy about that. When you make a living out of investigating magical crime and murder, it’s always a good sign if no one comes to your office. On days like this, Ceyla and Avery spend their time together either working out, reading, or doing such other dumb stuff that couples do. She often wondered how she got here with the former Fae prince.

He didn’t look up from his book. “You don’t scare me, Fae halfling. Not with—” He gave a cursory glance on the romance novel on the table. “—‘White Lies And Laces’ next to those guns on the table.” He went back to his book.

She smiled at that quip. Avery knew her too well, and while shaking her head, she picked up the romance novel and dove right into it—for the nth time.

“That’s my favorite, too,” he said, stealing glances at her from his book. 

“It’s not my favorite.”

“I know you’re hopelessly romantic.”

“Romance is overrated,” she said, but not really meaning it.

“Love is timeless,” he said meaningfully.

She put her book down sharply and narrowed her eyes at him, as if to tell him not to push the topic further.

He shrugged, knowing he won in that conversation. “The author, Judith King, will be at the bookshop next month to promote that book.”

She opened her book on the title page and pointed at the signature there. “Already signed.”

“I know, but she might do a reading from a new story she’s been working on.”

She stifled a gasp, and he laughed. She opened her mouth to speak but a rap on her office door stopped her.

Avery exchanged glances with Ceyla.

“Come in,” Ceyla said just as Avery walked to the window and leaned on the frame. He tried to stay out of Ceyla’s way when she’s working. Just as she’d stay out of his way when he’s working on a new sculpture.

The door with the glass window embossed with Ceyla’s name opened and an aging man in the crisp uniform of the Helios Investigation Bureau strode in. He plopped a bloody and battered journal on her desk and eyed the romance novel under it.

This time, Ceyla didn’t stifle her gasp when she saw the embossed name on the cover of the journal and Avery grinned at the look on his girlfriend’s face.

“I see that you’re a fan of Judith King’s books,” Michael Ward, her adoptive father said. “Unfortunately, not everybody shares your predilection.”


End file.
